I WORK EN PLEIN AIR, OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE… Welcome. I am back to painting again after a sabbatical that included a few pieces done for charitable fund raisers. I am continuing to make small, 6" x 8", landscape oils, but not every day. I am also working on larger pieces. Every time I finish a painting, I will place it here on my website. If you see something you'd like to purchase, email me. Thank you for enjoying my work and keeping me creating new pieces. Your interest stimulates and inspires me and has made me a better painter. Sign up for my emails and I will send you an image of each new painting. I love to paint and am happy to share my painting experience with you. Most of my work is impressionistic landscape oils, inspired by the beauty of the Island of Martha's Vineyard where I live.
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“By Chilmark Pond”
“By Chilmark Pond”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel.$750.00 USD
This location was scouted in the fog a few days ago. With the sun out today, I guesstimated about when would be the right time to come paint it. I barely made it before the shadows engulfed the lane completely. I was correct in my assessment that it would be a happy subject to paint when the sun and shadows came out…
“Menemsha Creek Fog”
“Menemsha Creek Fog”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
Usually, I paint first and then, maybe, fish after. Today I was scouting near the Creek and found a fisherman below me in the water. Said he just had a large bass on, but it snapped his 12 lb. test line. That was all I needed to hear. It was too hot for waders, so I changed into my bathing trunks, grabbed my rod and jumped in. An hour later, my mind was drifting from fish to landscape and how beautiful it was down here with the fog in the distance trying to roll over all…
“Deere In The Barn”
“Deere In The Barn”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
How many memories this old barn must contain. Cows, horses, chickens, raccoons, skunks, barn swallows, sparrows, doves, milk, eggs, hay, straw, grain, farmers, children, carts, tractors. The only tractor left seems to be a small John Deere riding mower peering out from the shadows within…
“Solstice Moon”
“Solstice Moon”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
I motored to 3 different locations to capture the moon rising. I got my bearings mixed up and came here to sort it all out and paint this view instead. Never mind that there were heavy clouds along the east horizon, I soon realized I might be in “the spot” after all. I almost stopped before the moon peeked out. A fisherman suddenly appeared, walking up by the tree in the painting, holding a 34″ striped bass he had just that minute caught. I resisted temptation and kept painting, eventually fishing after dark. I returned home canvas full but fishless…
“Solstice Light, Brickyard”
“Solstice Light, Brickyard”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
When I had thought about capturing the light at the end of solstice day, I did not have anything particular in mind. I assumed I would be down on the beach painting. As I rounded the last bend in the path to the Brickyard beach, I just could not ignore the strong sunlight streaming into the cool darkness of the woods. I left my gear right there, but had to walk the extra few steps to the edge of the cliff to assure myself that nothing better awaited me…
“Red Beach”
“Red Beach”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
A beautiful sunny day found me closeted in my van while I did this painting. The wind had died and it was gorgeous out. Not a soul was on the beach, nor in the parking lot. I soon discovered why. The no-see-ums were the force to be reckoned with. They were under my hat, in my glasses, on my hands, in my ears, on my neck, all over me within moments of stepping out of the vehicle. Retreat was my only option…
“Gay Head, Flip Side”
“Gay Head, Flip Side”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
This image has been burning in my mind for a week or more. I went on location and tried to paint it, but it was too windy. I took copious photos as the sun went down. Came back to the studio and studied them all for a few evenings. Went back for a couple more tries. One time it was raining, but sun was under the cloud cover shining as it went down. No painting, then, either. Once more I went up and got a fast wash in on the canvas, but was too windy to do more. Tonight the festering was too much. I put it on the easel. Danced around it. Used those memories of studying, along with the washed in underpainting to pull it all together…
“Blossom”
“Blossom”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
I was alerted to this magnolia being in bloom at the Polly Hill Arboretum. As soon as I got there it started pouring rain. I put my rain jacket on and walked about in the downpour finding shelter under trees. I dared to take some photos under those conditions. Everything was at its darkest tonal value from being wet and it was near the end of daylight hours so all dark areas were darker still. Yet the rain made them have a vision of softness. Scents of this or that bloom would suddenly waft up among the rain drops and assault my senses. The rain stopped and I rushed back with my equipment and worked swiftly as it was dripping off the trees and could restart any time…
“Rainyday Red”
“Rainyday Red”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
I would not have done this painting if it weren’t for Stephen Larsen. Stopping to say hi as we passed each other in our cars on fisherman’s lane, he said he was done for the day. “Take my parking spot by my fishing shack if you want to paint.” And just like he said I’d do, I made his shack and area look way too clean. I only wish I could have made his boat look just as clean, but it’s to the left behind the shack. Oh well, another day…
“At The Bend In The Road”
“At The Bend In The Road”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
After yesterday’s painting, I had Rosa Rugosas on my mind. Actually not really on my mind but in my nostrils. To me they are THE smell of summer at the beach. Fishing last night I had to walk through a hedge of them going and coming. Today, as soon as I finished one of my many golf course commissioned paintings, I went hunting for beach roses. I think I excluded 10 or more sandy paths between the little bridge and big bridge before discovering this one. It was delicious standing out with setting sun warming me, no wind and the scent of roses all around as I painted the glistening light off the distant water. I observed a lone boater fishing for blues and was serenaded by 4 Oystercatchers as they flew low overhead from pond to beach loudly discussing dinner as they hovered slowly past…